Low-water signal for steam-boilers



W. C. BLUNDELL.

LOW WATER SIGNAL FOR STEAM BOILERS. APPLICAT'ION FILED NOV. 19, 1911. RENEWED MAR. 9. 1920.

INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM C. BLUNIDELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MARY R. BLUNDELL AND ONE-HALF TO OLIVER W. SMITH, BOTH OF LOS ANGELES,

CALIFORNIA.

LOW-WATER SIGNAL FOR STEAM-BOILERS.

Application filed November. 19, 1917, Serial No. 203,041.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM C. BLUN- DELL, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Los Angeles, county of Los Angeles, and Stateof California, have inventedcertain new and useful Improveinents in LowWVater Signals for Steam- Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to low water signals for steam boilers, and comprises further improvements and simplifications of my invention as shown and described in my copending application, filed March 8, 1917, Serial Number 153,532, said application having matured into Patent No. 1,259,720, dated March 19, 1918.

Amongthe salient objects of my present invention are to provide a simple device in which an expansion tube has connection at both ends with a boiler, one end thereof being connected at low water level, and the other end thereof being connected at a high water level, whereby circulation through said expansion tube and its connections is possible, thus avoiding the possibility of said expansion tube being clogged or filled up with sediment, or the like; to provide in a device of the character referred to an arrangement whereby said expansion tube is filled from one end with water, so long as the water in the boiler is above low water level, but as soon as the water reaches point at or below said low water level, said expansion tube is filled with steam from the opposite end thereof, whereby it is heated and expanded; to provide in a device of the character referred to, a series of audible and visible signals, including electrically operated signals, controlled by the action of said expansion tube.

In order to more clearly explain my invention, I have illustrated one practical embodiment thereof in the accompanying sheets of drawings, which I will now describe.

Figure 1 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof with electrical connections shown diagrammatically;

Fig. 4 is. an end view, looking at the left hand end of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Renewed March 9, 1920. Serial No. 364,519.

showing a water chamber connected to the expansion tube;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View through a steam chamber, connected to the opposite end of said expansion tube; and,

Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged fragmentary views of details.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, 1 designates a standard water column, adapted to be connected at its upper end, as at 2, with a steam boiler B, at high water level, and at its lower end, as at 3, with said boiler at low water level. umn also has the usual water gage 4, for showing the water level in said boiler.

My invention as here embodied comprises a base or body member 5, having. formed therein, at its upper end a steam chamber 6, and at its lower end a water chamber 7. Said steam chamber is connected by means of pipe fittings and a valve, designated as a whole 8, with the upper end of said water column, while said water chamber 7, is connected by means of pipe fittings, as 9, with the lower end of said water column, as clearly illustrated by Figs. 1 and 3. Connected at one end to said water chamber 7 is an expansion tube 10, the opposite end of which is connected by means of an elbow 11, with a tube 12, the upper end of which is connected by means of an elbow 13 into the steam chamber 6, as shown. The form of said tube 12 permits the expansion of the tube 10. By this connection, water, when above the low water level in the boiler, will fill the expansion tube 10, and will also rise' in the tube 12 to the corresponding water level, as shown in the water gage 4, while the steam from the upper end of the water column will enter the steam chamber 6, and the upper end of the pipe 12. water in the boiler lowers, it also lowers in the pipe 12, being followed by the steam. hen the water falls below the low water level in the boiler, said steam will force its way downwardly through the pipe 12, and through the expansion tube 10, whereby said expansion tube is heated thereby.

I will now describe the operating connections by means of which the said expansion tube 10, operates various visible and audible signals- Mounted on the outer end of the expansion tube 10, is a T member, projecting from which are spaced lug members 15, 15,

Said water 001- As the' to the opposite outer sides of which are secured the lower ends of supporting brackets 16, 16, which support at their upper ends the end of a base 17, of fiber or other insulating material, the opposite end of which base is part of the lower end of the body member 5.7 The upper end of said lever 18 is connected between the upper ends of a double connecting link 23, the opposite end of which is connected with a double lever 24, the lower end of which is spread to straddle the pipe 12, as at 25, clearly shown in Fig. 8. A supporting plate 26 projects from the body member 5, and mounted on the outer end of said supporting plate 26, is a block of insulating material 27 to which may be connected, at its lower end, a supporting bar 28, connected at its upper end with the said base 17, and also the lower ends 25 of lever 24 may be pivoted thereto, as shown in Fig. 7.

Pivotally connected at its upper end in a slot in said base 17 as at 29, is a swinging signal member 30, provided at its lower end with a disk 31, which may be colored to attract attention. Said signal member is connected intermediate its ends, bymeans of a link 32, with the lever 24.

Mounted on the upper end of said lever 24, is an insulating block 33, which carries a contact bar 34, adapted when said lever 24 is moved forwardly to contact with two terminal posts 35 and 36 in the base 17.

Inasmuch as the lower end of the lever 18 is held against movement at its pivot connection 20, it will be evident that any expansion of the expansion tube 10, will move the pivot point 19 and said lever 18, outwardly. Because of the short leverage connection between the pivot points 19 and 20, the upper end of the lever 18 will be moved a greater distance. The movement of the lever 18, through its connection 23,

7 moves the lever 24, and alsothe signal memher 30, and the contact bar 34, at the upper end of said lever 24, which contacts with and connects the terminals 35 and 36.

Mounted on the base 17 is a signal light- 37. Mounted on the side of'said device is an electric bell signal 38, having terminals 39, 39'. Connections are provided from a storage battery 40, as follows:

C1rcu1t w1re 41 connects the battery with "nections to move the lever 24, so that the contact bar 34 contacts with the terminals 35 and 36 on said base 17, a circuit will be completed from said battery 40 to the bell signal 38, and also to the light 37.

It is to be understood that these electrical signals can be mounted at any distance desired from the other part of the mechanism, thus making it possible to have electrically operated signaling devices, either audible or visible, in any desired location for giving the signal that the water in the boiler is below low water level.

I am'aware that changes can be made in the details of my invention as here illus trated without departing from the spirit thereof, and I do not therefore limit the invention to the showing here made, except as i I may be limited by the hereto appended claims. 7

I claimi 1. In a device of the character described, including a rigid frame and an expansion tube extending in a substantially horizontal plane therefrom, said frame having upper and lower horizontal extensions thereon, a rod rigidly attached to the lower portion of said frame and extended at its outer end beyond the end of said expansion tube, a bar pivoted to the end of said expansion tube and extended upwardly and downwardly from its fulcrum, the lower end thereof oeing pivotally connected to said rod, a bar pivoted at its lower end to the lower extension of said frame and extending upwardly through and above the upper arm of said frame and having a contact member thereon, a bar connected with said contact bar at a point near the fulcrum thereof and also connected at its opposite end with the upper end of said first mentioned bar, and a stationary contact on said upper frame extension wherewith said first mentioned contact maybe engaged when said tube is expanded, for the purpose described.

2. In a device of the character described, including a rigid frame having spaced upper and lower horizontal extensions, and a substantially horizontal expansion; tube con nected therewith, an upwardly extending lever having a fulcrum on the end of said expansion tube and having its lower end fixedly connected with said frame, whereby the upper end of said lever may be moved to a greater extent than said expansion tube, a contact member pivotally supported on the lower extension of said frame and ex tending through the upper extension thereon, a contact on the upper end of said memment of said contact, for the purpose described.

Signed at Los Angeles, Los Angeles county, California, this 9th day of Novem- 10 her, 1917.

WILLIAM C. BLUN DELL.

In presence of- VVM. R. LITZENBERG, D. P. KINDRIGK. 

